Today’s society is rapidly changing due to constant advancements in technology, helping young people make confident career decisions has never been more important. Gone are the days of choosing between a handful of traditional careers. Today, students face a myriad of options from AI engineering to digital content creation – which many of the older generations have no idea what these careers are about. So how do we help the younger generation choose their career paths? One of the most reliable tools is psychometric career assessments.
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What is a Psychometric Career Assessment?
A psychometric assessment is a structured, objective tool used to measure various psychological constructs such as aptitude, personality and interest. These assessments are scientifically developed and can only be administered by HPCSA registered professionals such as Psychometrists and Psychologists. What is the goal of these assessments? The goal here is to provide a deeper understanding of the student’s strengths, abilities, preferences, interests and personality relating to the working environment; this leads to more informed career decision making and better tertiary education applications.
Why are Psychometric Career Assessments relevant today?
1. The job market is constantly evolving
· Due to increased automation, digitalisation and remote working conditions, industries have changed a lot in the past decade and students are encouraged to look beyond the traditional framework of becoming a teacher or doctor
2. Self-awareness leads to better decisions
· Understanding yourself, your preferences and abilities may be very difficult to navigate as a teenager and psychometric assessments can help with uncovering who you are as a person and which working environment will allow you to reach your full potential as a person.
3. Objective measurement of psychological traits
· Psychometric assessments are regulated by the Health Professions Council of South Africa and need to be classified by the Psychometrics Committee before it can be administered to the public. This means that the results are highly accurate and reliable reflections of your abilities, strengths, interests and personality. The results can help you understand yourself better and make more informed career choices.
What does a Career Assessment Include?
A comprehensive career assessment includes:
1. An intake session
· This session is to just collect relevant information, background academic information and also to get to know the student before conducting any assessments. This session is also important to share any specific goals you have for the assessment process (i.e wanting to know if you would be a good candidate to study engineering and if extra support may be required to do so)
2. Assessments including Aptitude, Personality, and Interest
· The aptitude assessment is done to measure the student’s ability to learn and also indicates specific academic strengths as well as potential areas for improvement.
· The personality assessment reveals communication preferences, working styles and specific job roles within an occupational setting.
· The interest assessments uncover specific working environments that the student might be drawn to and how these environments will make them feel more fulfilled in their future work
· Depending on the student, the assessments are done on one day or over two sessions.
3. Feedback session
· The feedback session is done to discuss the assessment results and to ensure that the student feel empowered to make career decisions relating to their results.
· A comprehensive report is given with specific recommendations and suggestions for possible careers, what subjects are required to study these careers, and where the student can apply to study.
· Remember the report with recommendations are just suggestions and is up to the student and their family to decide if they want to follow the recommendations or not.
So when is the best time to do a career assessment?
While it is never too late to do a career assessment, there is a time that is more ideal to do it. Grade 9 to Grade 11 is an ideal time to do a career assessment as in Grade 9 students are choosing their subjects for the following year and having a better understanding of what the student wants to study after school, they can make more informed decisions after having a career assessment done. Grade 11 is also a perfect time as the students still have time to receive extra support, possibly change subjects if needed and are able to gain job shadowing experience before making their final decision in Grade 12 when they start applying for university.
A note for Parents
Supporting your child in choosing a career path is one of the most valuable investments you can make. A career assessment does not label your child; it empowers them and allows for a better understanding of who they are personally and within the working environment. If you are feeling inspired or overwhelmed, please remember that you are not alone, at LDT Learning Solutions we are here to provide expert guidance on career decisions so please feel free to book a consultation or a career assessment here.
Contact René: [email protected]
